Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The arrest occurred on Monday morning as Ajaero was about to board a flight to the United Kingdom for an official engagement. He was scheduled to attend the Trade Union Congress (TUC) conference in London, which began today.
The NLC issued a statement confirming the arrest, calling it an “assault on Nigerian workers.” According to the NLC’s official X handle, Ajaero was detained at the National Security Adviser’s office. The statement condemned the action, describing it as an intimidation against the union and its members.
The arrest follows a series of allegations against Ajaero, including charges of terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, and treasonable felony. The Nigerian Police had previously questioned him over these issues, which came to light after a raid on the NLC national secretariat. The police suggested that Ajaero might be connected to Andrew Wynne, a Briton accused of funding the #EndBadGovernance protests in Nigeria, which aimed to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Earlier, the Nigeria Police Force had summoned Ajaero for questioning regarding allegations of criminal intimidation and other offenses related to public peace. Despite these issues, Ajaero remains a prominent figure in Nigerian labor politics.
